Trump’s 2025 Presidency Sparks Fears of Huge Humanitarian Aid Shortfall!

On Wednesday, as the United Nations humanitarian branch and its associated groups launched the annual Global Humanitarian overview to gather support for 2025, they reported alarming figures: 305 million people urgently need aid, and while the organizations aim to assist 190 million of them next year, achieving this goal requires a substantial $47 billion in funding.

Tom Fletcher, the Under-Secretary-General at the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), emphasized the critical decision facing governments, especially those in affluent nations such as the United States. He highlighted the escalating issues of starvation, climate-related disasters, and other hardships in regions including Gaza, Sudan, and Yemen.

“We can either meet these challenges with open hearts and true solidarity for those suffering the most severe hardships on Earth, or we can choose indifference,” Fletcher stated during a press conference. “We can decide to abandon them to face these crises alone. We can opt to fail them.”

As of last month, only 43% of the $50 billion requested for 2024 had been received, according to Fletcher and other humanitarian leaders. This funding shortage has already led to an 80% reduction in food aid in Syria, and cuts to protection services in Myanmar and water and sanitation assistance in Yemen.

With an expected similar shortfall in 2025, Fletcher warned that OCHA and its partners might have to make “severe” choices, potentially leaving 115 million people without aid.

Concerns over meeting the 2025 funding needs are partly due to the recent election of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, known for his substantial budget cuts to various U.N. agencies during his first term.

“Currently, the U.S. is heavily on our minds, given the recent elections of several administrations that may scrutinize and be less ideologically supportive of our humanitarian initiatives,” Fletcher remarked. “However, it’s our responsibility to present our case effectively and persistently. I plan to spend considerable time in Washington and other capitals, engaging with skeptics and advocating for our cause.”

Jan Egeland, Secretary-General of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) and former leader of OCHA, expressed to Al Jazeera that the future of U.S. humanitarian funding under Trump’s administration remains highly uncertain.

Despite the U.S. being the world’s largest humanitarian donor last year with contributions of $10 billion, these amounts are minimal compared to its military expenditures, which were over $841 billion in 2024, and the profits of major corporations like Meta, which made $47.4 billion before taxes in 2023.

Camilla Waszink, NRC’s Director of Partnership and Policy, criticized the stark disparity between the world’s wealthiest individuals and those desperately needing humanitarian aid. “In an age where billionaires can afford space tourism and trillions are spent on global military efforts, it’s unfathomable that we struggle to fund basic needs for the displaced and prevent child starvation,” she stated. “We urgently need to revitalize global solidarity. Established donor nations must adapt their aid to match escalating needs and inflation, while emerging economies should strive to become top contributors, akin to their enthusiasm for hosting costly international sports events.”

Waszink also highlighted the dire consequences of insufficient funding: “It’s tragic that millions in need will go without essential aid next year due to dwindling humanitarian budgets, at a time when ongoing conflicts are rampant, and civilian protections are blatantly ignored,” she added. “Donors must not only fund aid but also invest in ending conflicts and curtailing violations that drive humanitarian crises.”

Fletcher also noted that beyond conflicts like the U.S.-supported assault on Gaza, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the civil war in Sudan, the climate crisis is exacerbating humanitarian needs. “2024 is set to be the hottest year ever recorded, and 2025 will likely follow suit. Climate-induced disasters like floods, droughts, and wildfires are devastating millions, particularly in nations least responsible for global warming,” he said. “These events are destroying food systems, livelihoods, and displacing communities, with drought alone accounting for 65% of the economic damage to agriculture over the past 15 years, worsening food insecurity.”

“In conflict zones and areas hit by climate emergencies, we are compelled to intensify our efforts,” Fletcher concluded. “My team is eager to deliver because they see the needs firsthand. We need the resources to respond, and we also need more global action. Those in power must confront this era of impunity and indifference.”